Report: Reader time on tablets now equals print

The World Press Trends report, published today, reveals the latest figures for newspaper reading and advertising globally.

One of the many findings states that mobile now accounts for 20 per cent of page views in areas of the world where the data is available.

Interestingly, research in the United States, Germany and France has found that people are spending as long reading news on tablets as they are reading printed newspapers.

In terms of newspaper company revenues, figures for the US show 27 per cent comes from non-traditional sources, with 11 per cent from digital; 8 per cent from new revenue from "other sources", such as services to clients in addition to advertising; and 8 per cent from non-publishing revenue, such as e-commerce.

The report, published today at the annual WAN-IFRA World Editors Forum currently taking place in Bangkok, reveals other key figures:

Newspaper circulations

Newspaper circulation declined less than 1 per cent (0.9 per cent) globally in 2012, with rising circulations in Asia offsetting circulation losses elsewhere. The steepest were declines in Europe.

More than half the world’s adult population read a daily newspaper, with 2.5 billion people reading in print, and more than 600 million people reading news in digital form.

During the past year, newspaper circulations have declined by 6.6 per cent in North America, by 5.3 per cent in western Europe, by 8.2 per cent in eastern Europe, and by 1.4 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa.

Elsewhere circulations increased, with rises of 1.2 per cent in Asia, 3.5 per cent in Australia and New Zealand, and 0.1 per cent in Latin America.

Five year stats show circulation declined by 13 per cent in North America and by 24.8 per cent in western Europe. Circulation increased over five years in Asia, by almost 10 per cent (9.8 per cent), by 10.5 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa, and by 1 per cent in Australia and New Zealand.

Advertising revenues

Newspaper advertising revenues declined 2 per cent globally in 2012, according to the report, with revenues down by 22 per cent since 2008.

Print advertising has fallen by 23.3 per cent during the past five years in western Europe, and by 42 per cent in the US during the past five years.

Much of the US decline is down to the sharp reduction in classified advertising, with an estimated 80 per cent of classified now digital.

Advertising revenues declined by 7.6 per cent in North America in 2012, by 3.4 per cent in western Europe, by 5.6 per cent in eastern Europe, and by 8.3 per cent in Australia and New Zealand. Revenues rose in several regions: by 9.1 per cent in Latin America; by 3.6 per cent in Asia, and by 2.3 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa.

Paid content

Paid content is a growing revenue stream, the report states, with nearly half of US publishers now charging for some content. Around 40 per cent are using a metered model, one third charge for premium content, 17 per cent require payment for any access, and 10 per cent use some other model.

The biggest challenge

The report states that "the biggest challenge for publishers continues to be how to increase the engagement of audiences on digital platforms".

This is because while more than half of the digital population visit newspaper websites, newspapers are a small part of total internet consumption, representing just 7 per cent of visits, with only 1.3 per cent of time spent consuming newspapers' digital content, and only 0.9 per cent of the total pages visited.

Journalism.co.uk is in Bangkok for the World Editors Forum. Follow @SarahMarshall3, @JohnCThompson and #editors13 for updates.

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